Dendritic tree

This is a schematic drawing of a dendritic tree by famous medical illustrator Frank Netter, MD. Particularly if you rotate the picture 90 degrees clockwise, you can see the imagery of a tree.

Most dendritic trees, however, actually are much bigger and contain many hundreds or thousands of dendrites with their multiple branches. Moreover, surrounding each dendritic tree are the dendrites of neighboring dendritic trees. When the tip or end of one dendrite connects with another dendrite, axon or cell body, a nerve signal releases a chemical neurotransmitter that crosses through the synaptic cleft or channel between the end of dendrite and the part of the adjoining neuron to which it is connected. These neurotransmitters carry the dendrite's message to, and activate, the dendrite, cell body or axon to which it is linked.

Medical studies have show in mice that when they train and learn to run through mazes, the neurons in their cerebrums that oversee and govern this learning and moving process grow many more dendrites that create a much more elaborate set of connections between adjoining and other nearby cells.

In like manner, part of what apparently happens in spiritual growth is that the dendritic trees of neurons that are the anchoring and expressing cells for each spiritual power literally grow, expand and connect with new cells when more of the spiritual power like strength, love or wisdom gets anchored into these neurons.

Numerous other neural growth processes likewise occur. Neuroscientists are only learning of the incredible complexity of the cerebrum and how "plastic" and "malleable" it is, meaning that it is capable of signficant change and development, which reflects or is driven by our spiritual development.

It was once thought that the neurons we had as a child were the only neurons we had throughout our life. Thus, if you destroyed some neurons, they could not be replaced. Now we know that the cerebrum is capable of creating new cells and of regenerating itself and re-routing its neural circuitry.

As Jesus said, "Tear this temple down and in three days I will rebuild it." Whatever damage or dysfunction there may be in any part of the temple of our cerebral computer, we can repair and replace it with something new and better. How? By our faith. By our abiding faith in strength and in all of our other spiritual powers, all 12 thrones of our cerebrum are healed. Since these thrones govern, regulate and manage all other systems in the body, by our faith all parts of us are healed. So be it. And so it is!